MELBOURNE, Fla. (July 30, 2010) — Two buildings are nearing completion on the north end of Melbourne International Airport. Soon they will be home to up to 200 new jobs and production of Embraer’s Phenom 100 and 300 aircraft.

Embraer, one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, is investing approximately $51 million in the state-of-the-art Customer Center and Final Assembly Facility to build and showcase its state-of-the-art executive jets.
The 80,000-square-foot production building is almost finished and the walls of the aircraft paint facility have been erected. The two buildings account for the first phase of construction and should be completed in 2010.

The construction permits have been pulled for the Customer Center, which will be built at the corner of General Aviation Drive and Apollo Boulevard starting in October.

“We’re pleased with the pace of construction and are eager to see it up and running,” said Airport Executive Director Richard Ennis. “Embraer will create up to 200 high-paying jobs with this facility, which will improve the health of the Space Coast economy.”

Embraer’s construction plans at this time call for the facility to open in 1st Quarter 2011 and be fully operational in June 2011. The first Phenom 100 aircraft is expected to be delivered at the facility in 4th Quarter 2011.

In 2008, Embraer signed a 30-year lease agreement with Melbourne International after the airport beat out competitors in four other states and elsewhere in Florida for the coveted project. The lease, which can be extended for a total of 50 years, locks in approximately 25 acres with an option for an additional 70 acres.

Phenom 100 at MLB in April
Embraer has a strong backlog of orders for its Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 executive jets. The jets have received high praise for their design, construction and performance. A review of the Phenom 300 in June’s FLYING Magazine captured what many have already said about the aircraft.

“It [Phenom 300] really is the ultimate expression of the light jet segment, with best-in-class performance and outstanding comfort and utility, while offering single-pilot ease of flight and airline style maintainability.”